Dorco Double Edge Blade SKU Changes & Clarifications

[Lane101]

Adding a post to this thread with information on the Dorco for Barber HST300 half blades that folks have seen recently. There is limited information from Dorco itself beyond a single product listing (link below) for these blades with limited information that at least confirms they are a real Dorco product.

It appears that they come in both blue and red boxes with red the most common. The Maggard listing for these (offering blue box blades) notes the following (copied from Maggard website):

• The Dorco Blue single edge razor blades, born from Dorco’s great production experience, exclusively use superior quality steel without additional coatings to achieve a sharpening that can easily perform both perfect shaves and precision finishes thanks to the special Sharp&Round technology that allows the blade to be both sharp and rounded at the same time
• Dorco Blue razor blades vs Dorco Prime (red)
  The main difference between the Dorco Blue razor blades and the Dorco Prime (Red) lies mainly in the steel used for production which in the case of the PRIME versions is Japanese manufactured (Japanese stainless steel).

Maggards notes that they are made in Vietnam. Some vendor sites, like Maggard above, state that they are uncoated (Blue version). Others don't mention coating including a separate Maggard listing for the red version of these blades. Given the HQ technology label it's likely these are split versions of the ST300/301 stainless blades with the possible difference being that they are uncoated.

Maggards lists the blue blades as #HST300-1P and the red as #HST300R-1P.

Dorco Corporate Site Product Listing:

DORCO

SINGLE EDGE HST300

www.dorcoglobal.com

 

[Phoenixkh]

I've read this entire thread but I still can't seem to determine which blade is the best combination of sharpness and smoothness.... The ST301/300... the STP 300 Prime or the STL 300 Titan. I could go by price ranking but that would just be guessing. A point of reference: my most used DE blade at present is the Gillette Perma-Sharp blade. For me. the Perma-Sharps are a nice combination of very sharp and very smooth at the same time. YMMV, obviously.

 

[Jay21]

I've read this entire thread but I still can't seem to determine which blade is the best combination of sharpness and smoothness.... The ST301/300... the STP 300 Prime or the STL 300 Titan. I could go by price ranking but that would just be guessing. A point of reference: my most used DE blade at present is the Gillette Perma-Sharp blade. For me. the Perma-Sharps are a nice combination of very sharp and very smooth at the same time. YMMV, obviously.

I’ve shaved with all three quite a few times and really like them all. They definitely have more in common between them than they do any difference. They have shared DNA in their smoothness. I think the Primes are the sharpest, Titans are the smoothest, and the Stainless are in between both. All really fantastic blades.

 

[Lane101]

I've read this entire thread but I still can't seem to determine which blade is the best combination of sharpness and smoothness.... The ST301/300... the STP 300 Prime or the STL 300 Titan. I could go by price ranking but that would just be guessing. A point of reference: my most used DE blade at present is the Gillette Perma-Sharp blade. For me. the Perma-Sharps are a nice combination of very sharp and very smooth at the same time. YMMV, obviously.

Based on how Dorco markets these blades they are positioned in a "good, better, best" order of Titan (STL300), Stainless (ST300/301) and Prime (STP300/301). The only stated difference between the Stainless and Prime blades is that the Primes have an extra teflon coating. Unclear how the Titans differ from the Stainless though there is some recent evidence they may have less or no coating.

I use both the Stainless and Prime blades and for me they work equally well though the Primes can be a little rougher on the first shave possibly while the extra coating is worn off the cutting edge. Both are well regarded by fellow B&Bers with the Primes slightly more preferred. Regardless both are excellent high value blades and per others posts so are the Titans.

 

[ShavingPrimate]

Based on how Dorco markets these blades they are positioned in a "good, better, best" order of Titan (STL300), Stainless (ST300/301) and Prime (STP300/301).

This makes more sense to me. I haven't tried the Titan. Though I have tried the Stainless ST and the Prime STP.

I wasn't sure where the Titan was as compared to the Stainless but I have been under the impression that Prime was the top ranking blade.

I have read that some prefer the Titan. As I have enough Dorco blades, I have no interest in the Titan's.

 

[Phoenixkh]

While I was trying to figure out the Dorco blades, I ended up buying some Treet Dura Sharp blades... carbon steel... Since I only use a blade once, I'm not worried about them rusting....... @cranewarrior recommended them.

The Primes might be a waste on me since I only use a blade once... the extra coating might make them worse for me. That sort of leads me to the ST300s. I also have enough blades, so the Dorco blades are on the back burner for me at the moment.

 

[ShavingPrimate]

While I was trying to figure out the Dorco blades, I ended up buying some Treet Dura Sharp blades... carbon steel...

I used the Dura Sharp blades in week 10 of last year.

"I have to comment. This Dura Sharp has given me close wonderful shaves this entire week."

Until I read your post, I hadn't realized that they are Carbon steel blades. Looking them up, I see that they are a coated carbon steel blade.

 

[Phoenixkh]

I used the Dura Sharp blades in week 10 of last year.

"I have to comment. This Dura Sharp has given me close wonderful shaves this entire week."

Until I read your post, I hadn't realized that they are Carbon steel blades. Looking them up, I see that they are a coated carbon steel blade.

As is my custom... I buy blades in lots of 500.. Sort of stupid, buying that many without trying them, but I'm fairly confident the Treet Dura Sharps are right up my alley. I have a storage box and 500 of them waiting for us at home when we return from this trip in a week... It's going to be a nice homecoming. I'll have a brass Rocnel Elite and a soon to be delivered pre-war Canada Tech waiting for me.. those Dura Sharp blades... and some AC blades and a Feather DX folding barber razors on the way. I doubt they'll beat us home but will show up in a few days after our return. I have a Shaving Agenda planned.. should be a fun couple of weeks until April...

 

[Winking Whale]

I tried a Titan and found it okay (need to revisit for a considered opinion) but both I and a friend tried this ST301 and found it terrible. I'm puzzled given the many good reviews. Is it possible it's old stock or even a fake (not keen on the Chinese-looking symbol center left of the inner)? Oh, ignore the handwriting, that was just to help me keep track early on. It was part of a sampler pack from a UK outfit called "The Shave Factory", so one would expect it to be genuine.

 

[Pinto90]

False I would say not.

Why would it be a fake?

 

[Winking Whale]

I tried a Titan and found it okay (need to revisit for a considered opinion) but both I and a friend tried this ST301 and found it terrible. I'm puzzled given the many good reviews. Is it possible it's old stock or even a fake (not keen on the Chinese-looking symbol center left of the inner)? Oh, ignore the handwriting, that was just to help me keep track early on. It was part of a sampler pack from a UK outfit called "The Shave Factory", so one would expect it to be genuine.

View attachment 1815608

Okay, I missed those pics a few pages back. Guess I've now answered my own question. Not fake. Will have to try them again. Maybe just got 2 bad ones in a row.

If I could delete my post, I would.

 

[Winking Whale]

False I would say not.

Why would it be a fake?

The Chinese-looking symbols. But I see now I was wrong.

 

[Winking Whale]

There's no mention of a country of manufacture anywhere on the packing of my ST301s. (in fact it doesn't even say ST301 - I had to write it on) but there is a number on the back - 28422CP. Would that help pin them down? Still looking into this, but there's lot to get through.

 

[Winking Whale]

There's no mention of a country of manufacture anywhere on the packing of my ST301s. (in fact it doesn't even say ST301 - I had to write it on) but there is a number on the back - 28422CP. Would that help pin them down? Still looking into this, but there's lot to get through.

Okay, the answer is in posts #58 & #60 of this thread.

 

[Lane101]

I tried a Titan and found it okay (need to revisit for a considered opinion) but both I and a friend tried this ST301 and found it terrible. I'm puzzled given the many good reviews. Is it possible it's old stock or even a fake (not keen on the Chinese-looking symbol center left of the inner)? Oh, ignore the handwriting, that was just to help me keep track early on. It was part of a sampler pack from a UK outfit called "The Shave Factory", so one would expect it to be genuine.

View attachment 1815608

Same tuck packaging as my ST301s. Nothing to indicate fake blades. HQ label tends to be newer made in Vietnam production. I purchased mine in 100 packs that confirmed newer made in Vietnam production. YMMV, these are some of my top performers.

P.S. Edit, just took a closer look at your picture. My tucks are similar with one difference, a Red D icon symbol in front of the Dorco name. (same as the photo on post #58) So not 100% sure you have newer made in Vietnam production but highly likely given the HQ label.

 

[Winking Whale]

Same tuck packaging as my ST301s. Nothing to indicate fake blades. HQ label tends to be newer made in Vietnam production. I purchased mine in 100 packs that confirmed newer made in Vietnam production. YMMV, these are some of my top performers.

P.S. Edit, just took a closer look at your picture. My tucks are similar with one difference, a Red D icon symbol in front of the Dorco name. (same as the photo on post #58) So not 100% sure you have newer made in Vietnam production but highly likely given the HQ label.

Thanks. I'm happy to accept I was wrong on fakery. But I'm still open to the possibility they are old Korean blades. I've ordered a 10-tuck of 300s from Connaught which are unequivocally latest packaging, made in Vietnam - so a direct comparison should settle the matter. As I said above, I quite liked the Titans, which in my neck of the woods are at the budget end of the range, so why these should be so different is a puzzle.

 

[Jay21]

Blades are the most YMMV aspect of wet shaving. For example, I think the ST301 is excellent, but I don’t care for Astra SP and Gillette 7:00 Platinum Black.

 

[Pinto90]

It looks like I am one of the few who preferred the old ST-301 blades before they made the switch to Vietnamese manufacturing. My ST-301 thread w/ photos

In my search to find the old Korean ST-301s I made some purchases on amazon, ebay, and RBC.

So far, the closest I have been able to find are the RBC ST-300 version that DOES NOT have (VIETNAM) in the title. Although the packaging has "made in Vietnam" on the back so I'm not entirely sure what to make of that.
For those of you wondering what it looks like when you purchase all of the ST-300, ST-301, and Titan blades from RBC, see attached.

It is not very clear to me what those markings next to each razor blade mean.
According to what you wrote the Dorco blades in my possession would not be made in Vietnam?
What is the difference between the different packages other than the difference between the new and old logos?

 

[Fresh_]

It is not very clear to me what those markings next to each razor blade mean.
According to what you wrote the Dorco blades in my possession would not be made in Vietnam?
What is the difference between the different packages other than the difference between the new and old logos?

Hey @Pinto90 I am not sure what you mean by the marking. If you are talking about my poor handwriting, it was just to indicate what Razor Blades Club had titled each blade. I don't know enough to say definitively where your blades were made. I don't think the old logo tells the whole story. It seems like the HQ logo is a good indicator they were made in Vietnam. The Titans you have say made in Vietnam but both of mine did as well from RBC and they said one was Korean so I'm not confident either way.

 

[Pinto90]

However, there must also be a difference in the material used compared to the razor blades of a couple of years ago, but I do not understand what.
The one on the left in the photo is a two-year-old razor blade and looks very different from the current production as well.